"Watch how I..." Arrival Post (Open!)
He gasped as the spike sent an instant pain through the nerves in his chest, around his heart, and his nervous system shuttered to a halt until there was a second of absolute nothing. People underestimate the time involved in a full second of experience. One thousand one can take up so much thought, so many inspirations, so many epiphanies. But all Wash could think of was, "Zoe, I love you."
So when his next breath came it was surprising. And when another came after that, it was astounding. Even more surprising and astounding was his sudden realization that he was on a bench in front of a road with a rip in the front of his shirt and cars zipping by in front of a background made up of sky scrapers and street lamps.
His hands shuttered as he slammed them into his unmarred chest. He panted, then, a giddiness washing over him, laughing then as he shouted, "I'm alive!"
A passerby gave him a glare and his face became sheepish.
"Which is completely normal. And not at all insane. To be, ahem," he mumbled and the person shook their head and kept walking.
Wash's eyes blinked up to the sky and he blew out of his mouth in relief.
"Okay," he said with finality, finding his center. "Now where the hell am I?"